Writing an APA PaperWriting an APA PaperWriting an APA PaperWriting an APA PaperLynn MayfieldLynn Mayfield

Campus LibrarianCampus Librarian

Don’t Panic!

Get Help!• Librarian – Campus Librarian – Public Librarian

• Online – Owl at Purdue

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

– APA website http://apastyle.apa.org/

Get Started!Gather your research.

a. Booksb. Journalsc. Online

1) Databases2) Web

Want to save time?• Then, begin your reference page

as you do your research!

• Keep a Word doc open and save all of your reference information in correct APA format. Note: USB good idea!

What NOT to do…DON’T use

a. Contractions (Don’t, can’t, wouldn’t)b. 1st person (I, me, mine, we, us, our) unless

given permissionc. 2nd person (you, your, yours)d. Informal language (ex. “totally”)e. Repetitionf. Bias – Ask, “Does this word or sentence

offend?”g. Fragments or Run-on sentencesh. Abbreviations without first identifying them

and ONLY accepted abbreviations such as NASA.i. Numbers in the body of the paper IF smaller

than 10 (one – nine)*j. Someone else’s words or ideas without

proper citation. It’s called PLAGIARISM!

Paraphrase & Cite; Don’t Plagiarize!

Use paraphrasing- Write information in your own words and in your own sentence format. Always cite ideas that were not your own-even the paraphrasing.

Plagiarism is a serious offense. The consequences are the same for the intended and the unintended instances of plagiarism.

What TO DO…APA Requirements

1. 4 PARTS:• Title page • Abstract (summary of 150-250 words)• Text• Reference Page

2. Use ACTIVE verbs. 3. Be clear!4. Be consistent!5. Run Spell Check and Grammar Check AND have

someone else proofread your paper.

Always refer to Examples to get it right!

Title Page

• Page header (p.1)

• Title (full)• Byline

(Student’s name)

• Institutional affiliation

Running head: MULTICULTURAL DIFFERENCES 1

Multicultural Differences

in the Post Secondary Classroom

Your Name

University Name

First page of text• Page header; page

number (3)

• Title of paper centered at the top

• Double-space

• Begin text (indent each paragraph)

• Notice the in-text citation.

Multiple Differences 3

Multiple Differences in the

Post-Secondary Classroom

Blah Blah Blah Blah bla

blah blah blah blah blah blah

blah blah blau. Wamp Wamp

Wamp Wamp Wamp (Mayfield,

2009).

Blah Blah Blah Blah blah

blah blah blah blah blah blah

blah blah blau. Bla Blah Bla blah blah

blah Bla Blah Blah (Eng, 2010).

Reference page• Page header; page number

• Type the word References - top center.

• DO NOT number.

• Double-space ALL entries.

• Follow correct APA examples to do yours correctly. Owl at Purdue is a good source.

• Alphabetize

• Use hanging indent.

Multicultural Differences 6

References

Albernathy, B. T. (2008). Ethnicity in the

classroom. Teacher, 23, 25-26.

Boxworthy, F. D. (1999). Boxing it out in the

classroom with Boxworthy. New York:

Smith Publications.

Smith, B. A. (2006). Culture clash. Los

Angeles, CA: Universal Press.

Williams, T. H. (2002). Multicutural issues

today. Educator, 50. Retrieved January 27,

2009, from http//fltp.edu/issues.

Direct Quotations• For Standard Quotations:

“Incorporate a short quotation (fewer than 40 words) into text, and enclose the quotation with double quotation marks” (American Psychological Association, 2001, p. 117).

****Always include the page number.40 or more words:

– NO quotation marks– BLOCKED– INDENT LEFT margin– DOUBLE SPACE– Citation follows the last punctuation mark.

(Smith, 2005, p.4)

Guess What?

•You’re done!